Deepened Shallows
by Meshugganuh
Summary: Sev and Lily are best friends, but James is ready to fight for her affections. Takes place within the memories in Deathly Hallows' Chapter 33 -- The Prince's Tale.
1. The Beginning

CH 1

**A/N: This story begins after one of Snape's memories in Chapter 33 **_**The Princes's Tale**_** in ****Deathly Hallows****. It begins after the memory where Lily questions whether Snape should be hanging around his "death eater" friends and Snape reveals that James fancies Lily and Lily calls James a "Toerag."**

An easy March breeze tickled Lily's cheek as her and Severus strolled through a courtyard weaving between scatterings of school friends, a blend of adolescents all clothed in the same black robes but accented by their house colors. Lily could not help but notice how in the past few years or so, students had become more likely to "hang out" with classmates of their own class. She felt as though she and Sev were one of the last pairs to keep a loyal friendship as others drifted apart. However, even she could feel that Severus was beginning to spend more of the early spring afternoons with his Slytherin friends rather than her.

As they continued walking towards the door that led to the inside of the castle, Lily felt Snape inch closer to her as they passed a small tree, planted with its roots underneath the concrete stone where sat four teenage boys, all clothed in the same robes, with the same colored ties, glistening scarlet and gold. The skinnier one sat with his back against the tree, talking and chatting with the others, but out of the corner of his eye fumbling with a small golden winged object. He would quickly release it from his right hand and just as rapidly catch it again, almost right before it had the chance to get away

"Hey Sniv!" the boy with the snitch called out. Lily felt Severus tense up. She had not realized that he had moved close enough that their shoulders were in contact.

Lily tilted her head toward his, "Just keep walking," she whispered. "Ignore them." The duo picked up their pace a couple beats.

"Leave him alone, James," yawned the dark golden haired boy. Remus was lying on his side, the upper half of his body shaded by the small tree. With his head in one hand, supported by his elbow, in his other hand he was reading a book. However, his face had no sense of concentration; his eyes were rather glazed over as though he had not slept the previous night. Despite a large bruise on his left cheek, Remus was still rather handsome, in the classic dark eyes, and shiny hair sort of way.

"And miss this opportunity?" snarled a third boy. Although he was talking to his friends underneath the tree, his eyes were somewhere else; they were trying to make eye contact with Helena Coventree, the curvy 6th year Hufflepuff he'd had his eyes on for the last couple of weeks. She gave him a glance and he nodded his head up, as if to say "What's up?" Helena giggled and tossed her long blond hair over her shoulder and then turned back to continue chatting with her other friends. Remus casually looked up from his book.

"She's never going to go for you," he said quizzically.

"Five sickles says I'll be snogging her by Friday." Sirius briefly grinned when James gave him a soft kick to get him back focused in on Severus. Remus rolled his eyes, gave another slight yawn, and returned to his book.

"Sniv-" James began again, but was cut off.

Lily stopped in her tracks and grabbed Severus' arm to stop him as well. Severus's pale and pasty cheeks reddened a bit, giving off the faintest pink. "His name," Lily said sternly, "is Severus. Not," she paused for a greater affect, "Snivellus. Or any other foul name you slime balls have thought up."

James was taken by surprise. "Us, slime balls?" he sat up from his relaxed position against the tree. "Lily, dear, all I want is to hear a small 'thank you' from your friend here. After all, I did save his life a few nights ago." The fourth and final boy giggled awkwardly. He was chubby and had very crooked teeth. His ratty hair and acne prone face did not fit in with the other three boys, all of whom possessed glossy hair and clear complexions.

Snape's pink cheeks darkened. "Potter." He spit out the name like it was a moldy pumpkin pasty. "Potter, you-" he briefly closed his eyes, searching for the right words. He exhaled and said, "You know what happened. Your lies won't get past-"

"Lies?" James exclaimed with an outburst of laughter. "Lies? Are you serious? Sev, Sev, Sev. Here is what happened. You thought you would be cool to go near the Whomping Willow. I saw you from Hagrid's hut. When I was walking back to the castle, I heard a scream coming from near that tree. I went to examine, and there you were, inside the roots, screaming because you heard sounds and you were STUCK. Now, my dear boy, I saved you. And remember, I didn't have to, because, frankly, I don't like you, Snivellus."

Lily was frozen. She had not heard this whole story, and was shocked how loosely James had told what happened in front of anyone within five meters. Other students around then had stopped their conversations and were unsurely looking around at each other. Even Remus had closed his book and Peter's grin had faded.

Severus seemed to gain some courage. "That's right, Potter. You are the hero. You do no wrong and everyone should bow down to you." James's grin, like Peter's faded when Severus said this.

"You are the great James Potter. But, Potter, I see right through your little act. I know what you really are." Snape's mouth curled into an evil sneer.

"And what is that, Sniv?" James stood up and took a step out from under the tree. He thrust his snitch into one pocket of his robe and yanked his wand out of the other.

Lily unfroze and with a swish of her robe, she stepped out between the two boys, her arms out on either side of her. "Stop!" she demanded. She turned toward James. "James, Severus is of course thankful that you saved him. Do not further humiliate him. This needs to end now. Whatever prejudice is between the two of you needs to stop."

James raised his eyes in surprised. _Why does she do this to me?_ He thought, thinking of the bright crimson colored hair girl he had fancied since first year. _Every time I think I am over her because of how she hangs all over Snape, she surprises me yet again_. James shook his head. Snape, on the other hand had turned so red in the face that he felt like he could fry an egg on his forehead.

"Lily," James stuttered. "You're right. I'm done here." He watched as she lowered her arms, her bright green eyes reflecting the relief she felt.

Lily was surprised. She had not expected James to give in so easily. After all, he was the one known to pick fights and not stop until her had made his point. She turned back to Severus, his head hung low, staring at the ground, while stringy bits of his greasy hair dangled over his eyes. Lily took one of his arms and tucked hers between his and dragged him from his spot and they together walked out of the courtyard, out of the pleasant March day's sunlight, and into the warm corridor.

James, watching Lily touch Snape, felt all of a sudden overcome by an instinct to pull out his wand and jinx the greasy boy with something terribly embarrassing. Something bad enough to make Lily never look at her friend again. _No_. James stopped himself. _Lily would hate me even more_. No, he needed to impress her in a different way. He went and sat back down with his friends.

Sirius was able to read James's expression. "Don't worry, mate, you'll get him in the end. You always do."

"Yeah," said James, even though he still felt like gagging at the very thought of Snape's hand even just casually grazing Lily's shoulder, or leg, or _worse_, her splendid naturally rosy cheeks. "It's just a matter of time, right? I mean, she'll see what a creep he is one day right?" However, by the time he had gotten the words out of his mouth, Sirius was already halfway over to where Helena was standing, his arm outstretched to tug on her robe, probably to capture her in one of his intense gazes from underneath his striking black hair that would no doubt be hanging attractively over his dark entrancing eyes. "Um, right Remus? You know what I mean?" James said to his friend.

Remus, with his book still open in his hands, had his eyes closed, his mouth open the slightest bit, deeply breathing.

"Oy, Lupin!" James playfully slapped his shoulder. Remus was startled and dropped his book.

"Wha-What? I'm here, yeah Severus is a complete dweeb."

James looked away, disgusted with his two best friends when Peter caught his eye. The boy was still grinning, for who knows what reason.

"I understand, uh, mate," Peter stammered awkwardly. He tried to lightly punch James's shoulder.

"Right, thanks." James stood up. "Well, er, I have Quidditch practice in a couple hours. So...I'm going to go up to the dormitory and rest up. Remus," he said glancing down to his friend, "you should consider coming too. Honestly, you look awful."

Remus sat up, pushing off of the ground with his book. "You're probably right. I, well, you know, have had some long nights, you know." James reached out one hand and grasped his friend's and pulled him up. He felt his arm muscles tense up and momentarily wished he was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and that Lily was in viewing distance.

Once the boys were up, they headed towards the door and Peter quickly gathered his things and followed them. Pulling open the door, James turned his head to catch a quick glance of Sirius. The boy had already pulled Helena away from her friends and they looked as though they were in the middle of a deep conversation. _Hah, deep._ James knew that Sirius was as deep as a baby pool. But the boy did have moves. A strand of Helena's hair fell into her eyes and Sirius was quick to push it behind her ear before she had the chance to.

James walked inside the castle, and he was still thinking of Sirius and Helena, except in his thoughts, he was Sirius and Lily was Helena.


	2. MudWhat?

CH 2

"You don't always have to stand up for me; I can look out for myself."

Severus and Lily were walking together down an abandoned hallway. Lily abruptly drew her arm away from his. The further they got from the courtyard, the more relaxed Severus became and he straightened up his back increasing his height by a few inches.

"Sev, you weren't doing anything and I'm not going to let those guys walk all over you!" she refuted. Severus stopped and turned to look at her. As much as her admired her thick luscious hair and those captivating emerald eyes, he was embarrassed the he was not brave enough to stand up to those guys.

"Well, Lily, you didn't do much good for me now did you? You believe him." Snape look back down at the ground as he felt Lily's hand graze his shoulder. Her light touch send shivers down his spine.

"I'm not sure what to believe. I mean, it's not like you came out and told me what happened that night." Severus looked from the ground up into her eyes. The chills down his back became stronger as their gazes met.

"Please, Lily, I wouldn't lie to you. Just…just don't believe everything they say. He was lying." Snape broke the gaze and continued walking down the hall. He was surprised when he didn't hear Lily's footsteps pattering behind trying to catch up.

"Severus," she called from behind him. "You are my closest friend. My best friend. Best friends tell each other these things. Why don't you trust me?"

Snape stopped again and reached up his hands and relaxed them on his head. He turned around in a smooth twist from the balls of his heels. His robes swished around with him. "I can't." Lily walked closer up to him. He reached his arms out. Their finger tips came into light contact with each other-

"Ey Snape!"

Lily Dropped her hand immediately and turned to see the faces of two boys strutting down the hallway. The Slytherin duo, Avery and Mulciber were coming nearer.

Avery was heavyset, with thick, tough arms, strong from three years as a beater on the Slytherin Quidditch team. He had thick blond hair and a very pale complexion with a nose that strongly resembled a pig. Mulciber, on the on the other hand was tall, much taller than even Sirius, with tan skin and short tan hair to match. Although his skin was dark, it was still easy to tell that he was lightly freckled.

"Snape," Mulciber called out again. "Hey, we saw what happened back there. Let me be the first to say it was PATHETIC!" Severus took a deep breath and then gave a forceful smile and stepped towards his friends and shoved Lilly aside, who nearly lost balance.

"Oh, I'll get them back…I'm already planning the revenge." Snape slyly smiled at the two boys. Avery lost his normal dim-witted and confused look and smiled.

"Revenge? Oh Sev-" Lily was cut of by Mulciber.

"Oh, thanks for interrupting, Missy."

"Her name is Lilly," Snape retorted.

"Oh I'm sorry," Mulciber continued, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You see, Snape, if we are going to be friends, you can't go around having mudbloods look out for you." Mulciber grinned.

Lily's eyes widened. She knew that people used the awful word _mudblood_, but she had never been directly call one before. She stood aside waiting for Severus to say something.

"Guys, that's not cool. Don't call Lily that. She just doesn't always know her place." Severus first glanced at Avery and Mulciber for their approval and then at Lily. Her eyes were no longer sparkling emeralds, but they rather reflected fury of anger.

"I don't know my place?" Lily hissed, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "My place?" she repeated. "I'll see you around Snape." She took off down the hallway. When she got the end, she turned the corner and stood listening the Severus' conversation.

She recognized Avery's deep and somewhat gurgled voice. "Did you see what we did to Gizela, you know that Hufflepuff first year yesterday?"

"What?" Snape asked. There was no trace of remorse in his voice.

Avery continued. "Her mother sent her a new kitten. And, well, I saw it on a muggle news show. First we dangled it by its tail. Mulciber did that part. The cat hung three feet above that girls head! And then we put it in a paper bag and threw it in the Lake!"

Lily, upon hearing this, stifled a cry and shoved her hand over her mouth to prevent herself from making any noise. She had been on prefect duty when Gizela received the kitten and the young girl had let Lily hold it. It was plain white with unusual blue eyes.

"No way, did she cry?"

"Yeah she did! And some other first year boys tried to stun us, can you believe that?" Snape began to laugh at the thought. "Then," Avery continued, "It would have been great, but that lousy Potter boy saw Gizela crying and he dove into the lake and got the bag."

Snape had been laughing and now his smile was wiped off his face.

Avery apparently didn't see this and continued on laughing. "It would have been great. But Potter, I would have stunned him, but uh…"

Mulciber cut in. "Black threatened to tell McGonagall and Avery is already in trouble for talking back to her."

Lily had had enough. She walked to the staircase the go up to the common room.

"Lily!" Lily's friend, Mary, was walking down the hallway towards her. Mary's pale bland hair was wrapped tightly into bun on the top of her head how it was everyday. "I've been looking all over for you! I need help on my charms essay and its due tomorrow morning and I don't know where to start because the-"

Lily braced both of her hands on Mary's shoulders. "Mary, take a deep breath. I finished the essay last night. We'll get it done. Come on, let's go." Lily put her arm around Mary's should and they walked up the several flights of stairs to the Gryffindor common room.

"Redcap," Lily stated to the Fat Lady portrait.

"New password?" Mary asked.

"Yeah, McGonagall told me this morning."

The rest of the night Lily spent preoccupied explaining to Mary the uses and significances of the Substantive Charm. They were nearly done with the thirteen inch paper when flat out gorgeous girl stumbled through the portrait whole. Her eyebrows lowered in anger didn't take away any of the beauty that Aurélia possessed. Although she was only fifteen years old, Aurélia possessed a long and willowing body, only an inch short of Sirius's height. She had dark tan skin and deep chocolate colored hair with specks of natural golden highlights. She didn't need to put color on her lips because they were already naturally a rich red and she didn't need mascara for her vast eyelashes. It was the type of beauty everyone could appreciate and the only person who pretended he didn't see it was Sirius Black. He had tried for her attention until finally giving up third year. Even he, the master of male flirts, couldn't use his charm on Aurélia.

"I am so angry!" she said through grinded teeth.

Mary looked concerned. However, Lily knew that Aurélia had a short temper and last time she had been "really angry," it was because she had stepped in a water puddle in the great hall left by peeves.

"What's up Lia?" Lily asked, trying to show some sympathy in her voice.

"That Avery boy! Just because his father is in with You-Know-Who doesn't make him the dark lord of Hogwarts! That pig!"

Mary patted her friend on the back. "We all know how disgusting he is, but what did he do?"

Aurélia made a noise like and angry hippogriff. "That pathetic excuse for a man grabbed my butt – AGAIN!"

Lily began to laugh. The last time Avery had attempted to touch her, Aurélia had screamed so high pitched that he wasn't able to hear out of his right ear until Madam Pomfrey poured some of her hearing tonic in it. Aurélia's great-grandmother was a veela who married and Italian wizard. They moved to Manchester and had a son who married a Puerto Rican witch and that is how Aurélia got her beautiful and somewhat exotic looks.

"Why are you laughing? It's not funny! If I am going to have someone's hands on my butt, they should belong to someone attractive, like Brennan Carey's. Oh man, that boy is fit!" Aurélia's face changed from extreme anger to a dreamlike smile.

"Didn't Brennan just break up with Helena? The Hufflepuff?" Lily asked.

"Yes he did," Aurélia state proudly. "And you should have seen how quickly that girl rebounded. She and Sirius were all over each other today!"

"I know, I saw." Memories of the afternoon came flooding back to Lily. She had finally put it out of her mind when now her troubles returned. What should she do about Severus? They had been friends for more than five years, and he was the one who introduced her to the wizarding world…

"Hey, Lily, do you still hang out with Severus?" Mary asked innocently. She didn't know what had happened in the courtyard. She only knew that Snape was friends with Avery.

"Um," Lily started. She told the girls what had happened. Towards the end, especially when she got to the part about the kitten, she began the cry. Both Aurélia and Mary put their arms around Lily.

"Don't worry, Lily, I'm sure the kitten was fine," Mary said sympathetically.

"It's not the kitten," Lily sniffled. "It's the fact that he found it funny. I just don't know what is happening. I mean, I always knew that he was odd but – around me he always seemed calmer, more normal, you know? He even acted kind of sweet." The tears began pouring out of her eyes.

Aurélia took Lily's hand. "Lil, I know I haven't been friends with him as long as you have been friends with Severus, but believe me. When you first introduced him to me, it was creepy. He reminds me of the essence of every single death-eater I have ever imagined!"

Lily let out a huge whimper. "Don't say that! Severus is not a death eater!"

Mary stared at Lily. "Lily, look at who he is hanging around. Avery's father is a well-known death-eater. And Mulciber's father is in Azkaban for using the Cruciatus Curse."

Lily calmed down slightly. "Girls, I don't know what to do. I want to be friends with him, but if he continues down the path he is currently taking….I just don't know. The dark arts are…just that, they are dark."

At that moment, the portrait hole burst open again and in walked a muddy James Potter, carrying his _Nimbus 1500_ in one hand and his Quidditch goggles in the other.

"What a practice!" he exclaimed to anyone in the common room who was listening. "The Quidditch Cup belongs to Gryffindor this year!" A group of fourth years near the fire cheered. Lily rolled her eyes.

"Lily, you need to cut that boy some slack. Yeah he's arrogant," Aurélia added in quickly noticing the look on Lily's face. "But he is so in love with you!"

"I know!" she replied exasperated. "Sev told me today. I think he's jealous."

When James walked through the portrait hole, the first thing he noticed was Lily surrounded by her two best friends. After his exclamation, he searched the faces of the rooming, hoping to find that Lily's was one of the ones cheering. However, what he found was that she was not paying any attention to him at all, and rather her eyes were wet with tears and her friends looked as though they were trying to cheer her up. _Oh god. She hates me. She's probably crying because of what I did to Snape_. At that moment, Lily looked up from her friends and caught his eye for a mere second and then looked away.

James walked up to Lily and said, "Aurélia, Mary," the girls looked surprised to see him. "May I have a moment alone?"

The two got up and Aurélia flounced away up the stair case, while Mary uneasily went and sat a couple chairs over, not sure if Lily wanted her to leave or not.

"Lily," James began. "I don't want you to say anything, just hear me out. I apologize for what I did today. Okay? I shouldn't have embarrassed him the way I did. This doesn't mean I like him, or that I'll ever even be nice to him. Just, today, it was me. I was wrong."

Lily reached out and touched James' hand. "Thank you," she said quietly.

Her touch sent his nerves for a spin, feeling dizzy and stable at the same time. This is what he wanted.


End file.
